U.S. patent number 5,368,202 [Application Number 08/156,025] was granted by the patent office on 1994-11-29 for handle for holding and remotely actuating an aerosol container.
Invention is credited to Thomas J. Smrt.
United States Patent |
5,368,202 |
Smrt |
November 29, 1994 |
Handle for holding and remotely actuating an aerosol container
Abstract
A spraying apparatus for discharging the contents of a
valve-equipped aerosol can comprising: an elongated, hollow tube
having a front and rear end; a front housing fixed to the tube at
the front end, the front housing including a can holder comprising
a hollow cylinder sized to receive an aerosol can; a bell crank
pivotally mounted in the front housing; a trigger rod fixed to a
first arm of the bell crank; an actuator rod fixed to a second arm
of the bell crank and mounted within the first housing for
longitudinal movement between a discharging position and a
non-discharging position; a biasing spring fixed between the
trigger rod and a retaining wall in the front housing; a rear
housing mounted to the rear end of the tube the rear housing
including a grip portion; a trigger disposed within the rear
housing and connected to the trigger rod for reciprocating
horizontal movement between a discharging position and a
non-discharging position; a locker rotationally mounted in the rear
housing and rotatable between a non-locking position, wherein only
horizontal movement of the trigger is allowed, and a locking
position wherein horizontal and vertical movement of the trigger in
the discharging position is allowed; and a locking land disposed
within the rear housing for frictionally receiving a front surface
of the trigger when it is moved vertically from the discharging
position, the biasing spring biasing the trigger into engagement
with the locking land and thus maintaining the trigger in the
discharging position.
Inventors: |
Smrt; Thomas J. (Marengo,
IL) |
Family
ID: |
22557766 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/156,025 |
Filed: |
November 19, 1993 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/174;
222/402.14 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
83/202 (20130101); B65D 83/203 (20130101); B65D
83/46 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
83/16 (20060101); B67D 005/64 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/174,323,402.14,402.15,473,474 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Smrt, Fox Valley Systems, Inc. "We thought of it, we invented it,
we patented it . . . 25 years of . . . easy marker.RTM.'s great
useful features . . . " brochure..
|
Primary Examiner: Kashnikow; Andres
Assistant Examiner: Derakshani; Philippe
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Leydig, Voit & Mayer
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A spraying apparatus for discharging the contents of a
valve-equipped aerosol can comprising:
an elongated, hollow tube having a front and rear end;
a front housing fixed to the tube at the front end, the front
housing including a can holder comprising a hollow cylinder sized
to receive an aerosol can;
a bell crank pivotally mounted in the front housing;
a trigger rod fixed to a first arm of the bell crank, and mounted
within the front assembly and tube for sliding longitudinal
movement, such movement causing rotation of the bell crank;
an actuator rod fixed to a second arm of the bell crank and mounted
within the first housing for longitudinal movement between a
discharging position, wherein the actuator rod pushes the can
valve, and a non-discharging position;
a biasing spring fixed between the trigger rod and a retaining wall
in the front housing, which biases the trigger rod to a position
where the actuator rod is in the non-discharging position;
a rear housing mounted to the rear end of the tube the rear housing
including a grip portion;
a trigger disposed within the rear housing and connected to the
trigger rod for reciprocating horizontal movement between a
discharging position, wherein the actuator rod is in the
discharging position, and a non-discharging position;
a locker rotationally mounted in the rear housing and rotatable
between a non-locking position, wherein only horizontal movement of
the trigger is allowed, and a locking position wherein horizontal
and vertical movement of the trigger in the discharging position is
allowed; and
a locking land disposed within the rear housing for frictionally
receiving a front surface of the trigger when it is moved
vertically from the discharging position, the biasing spring
biasing the trigger into engagement with the locking land and thus
maintaining the trigger in the discharging position.
2. The spraying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locker is
generally cylindrical and includes a flat face.
3. The spraying apparatus of claim 2, wherein the trigger rod is
disposed horizontally and includes a bend and a substantially
vertically-extending portion beyond the bend, the substantially
vertically extending portion being fixed to the trigger, the bend
contacting the cylindrical region of the locker and preventing
vertical movement of the trigger when the locker is in the
non-locking position.
4. The spraying apparatus of claim 2, wherein when the flat face of
the locker is disposed horizontally in the locking position, the
bend of the trigger rod can move vertically when the trigger is in
the discharging position.
5. The spraying apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locking land
comprises two projections from respective sidewalls of the rear
housing, the land including a gap between the two projections to
allow clearance for the trigger rod.
6. The spraying apparatus of claim 1, wherein a lock switch is
fixed to the locker and is manually movable to selectively move the
locker between the locking and non-locking positions.
7. The spraying apparatus of claim 6, wherein a visual indicator on
the exterior of the rear housing indicates the position of the
locker.
8. The spraying apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wheel
rotationally mounted on the can holder which contacts the aerosol
can and rotates when the can is inserted into the holder.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for remotely supporting and
actuating an aerosol container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Aerosol containers using a pressurized gas for dispensing various
types of products are used in a variety of environments. Examples
of such products include paints, insecticides, cleaning and
lubricating compositions. Because of the pressure capacity of
conventional spray cans is limited, the spray discharged from the
can is typically only discharged through a limited distance. This
often requires that the user of the can be positioned relatively
close to the article or object which is to be sprayed. While this
may suffice for in certain applications, it is very undesirable for
others. For instance, when markings are being made on a road or
sidewalk, it is very inconvenient for the user to have to bend down
toward the road or sidewalk in order to produce a high quality and
accurately-located mark. Moreover, if a spray can containing an
insecticide is being used on a nest or hive of insects, it would be
very undesirable to be in an area immediately adjacent to the hive
while the insecticide is applied. Further, and in certain other
situations, the contents of the can itself may be harmful if it
comes in contact with human skin or is inhaled, this making a
further case for locating the can remotely from the user upon
discharge.
In an effort to overcome the aforementioned problems, several
devices have been devised which permit an aerosol can to be located
at a remote distance from the user, and which allow for remote
actuation of the spray can. Examples of such known devices are
provided by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,485,206, 3,977,570, 4,099,482 and
4,660,745.
In using such devices, however, the hand of the operator may become
fatigued from holding the trigger of the device in the actuating
position (the position which causes discharge of the can contents)
for an extended period. It would thus be desirable to provide a
means by which this problem could be avoided. Moreover, as remote
spraying devices are used for a variety of purposes, it would also
be desirable to provide a means which, while having an extended
spray feature, also includes normal triggering operation which
permits intermittent discharging of the can contents, i.e., in
relatively short bursts.
Thus, there exists a need for an aerosol can holder which allows
for the remote actuation of the can by a user for both an extended
period, without fatiguing the user, and for intermittent bursts.
The specific advantages of the present invention, as well as
additional inventive features, will be apparent from the
description of the invention provided herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a spraying apparatus for discharging
the contents of a valve-equipped aerosol can comprising: an
elongated, hollow tube having a front and rear end; a front housing
fixed to the tube at the front end, the front housing including a
can holder comprising a hollow cylinder sized to receive an aerosol
can; a bell crank pivotally mounted in the front housing; a trigger
rod fixed to a first arm of the bell crank, and mounted within the
front assembly and tube for sliding longitudinal movement, such
movement causing rotation of the bell crank; an actuator rod fixed
to a second arm of the bell crank and mounted within the first
housing for longitudinal movement between a discharging position,
wherein the actuator rod pushes the can valve, and a
non-discharging position; a biasing spring fixed between the
trigger rod and a retaining wall in the front housing, which biases
the trigger rod to a position where the actuator rod is in the
non-discharging position; a rear housing mounted to the rear end of
the tube the rear housing including a grip portion; a trigger
disposed within the rear housing and connected to the trigger rod
for reciprocating horizontal movement between a discharging
position, wherein the actuator rod is in the discharging position,
and a non-discharging position; a locker rotationally mounted in
the rear housing and rotatable between a non-locking position,
wherein only horizontal movement of the trigger is allowed, and a
locking position wherein horizontal and vertical movement of the
trigger in the discharging position is allowed; and a locking land
disposed within the rear housing for frictionally receiving a front
surface of the trigger when it is moved vertically from the
discharging position, the biasing spring biasing the trigger into
engagement with the locking land and thus maintaining the trigger
in the discharging position.
Other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to
persons skilled in the art upon reading the following description
and referring to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a left side perspective view of a first embodiment of a
remote spraying device, which includes an optional rotatable wheel,
constructed according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a left side longitudinal sectional view of the spraying
device of FIG. 1 (without said rotatable wheel) showing the
internal moving components of the device;
FIG. 3 is a partial view of FIG. 2 showing a trigger and locking
mechanism in a non-locking position;
FIG. 4 is a partial view of FIG. 2 showing the trigger and locking
mechanism in a locking position;
FIG. 5 is a partial view of FIG. 2 showing the range of trigger
motion available when the locking mechanism is in the non-locking
position.
FIG. 6 is a partial view of FIG. 2 showing and indicating a portion
of the range of motion of the trigger when the mocking mechanism is
in the locking position;
FIG. 7 is a partial view of FIG. 2 showing the trigger and locking
mechanism in the locking position and indicating the movement
required to place the trigger into the locking position from the
non-locking position;
FIG. 8 is a partial view of FIG. 2 showing the trigger and locking
mechanism in the locking position and indicating the movement
required to place the trigger into the non-locking position from
the locking position;
FIG. 9 is a right side perspective view of a second embodiment of a
remote spraying device constructed according to the present
invention;
FIG. 10 is a left side plan view of the second embodiment; and
FIG. 11 is a left side longitudinal sectional view of the spraying
device of FIG. 9 showing the internal moving components of the
device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Turning initially to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a first
embodiment of a remote spraying device 10 according to the present
invention. A handle section, or rear housing, 20 includes a grip 22
for manual grasping by the user. Preferably, the rear housing is
formed of two mirror-image sections of molded plastic, secured
together by any suitable securing means, e.g., rivets. A trigger 24
extends from the rear housing 20 to provide for actuation of the
aerosol can disposed at the opposite end of the spraying device 10.
The rear housing 20 also includes a lock switch 26 for selectively
placing the spraying device in one of two modes. In the first mode,
the trigger 24 may only be operated in a conventional fashion,
i.e., wherein it must be moved toward the grip in order to cause
discharge of the can contents. In the second mode, the trigger may
either be operated in a conventional, or intermittent, fashion,
i.e., it must be moved toward the grip to cause discharge of the
can contents, or the trigger can be placed in a position which
provides for continual discharging of the can contents until such
time as the trigger is released from this position.
FIG. 1 further discloses an elongate tube 30, either circular,
rectangular, or square in cross-section, extends between the rear
housing 20 and a front housing 40. The front housing is also
preferably formed of two pieces of mirror-image molded plastic
which are joined together by any suitable means. The front housing
40 contains several components required for actuation of the
aerosol can, as will be discussed below. Front housing 40 also
includes a can holder for receiving the aerosol can as well as a
rotational wheel 41. The wheel is detachable by a user and, if
used, is intended to contact the surface to be sprayed, thereby
assisting in maintaining the actuator at a set distance from the
surface.
Turning to FIG. 9, there is illustrated a second embodiment of the
remote spraying device of the present invention. That figure, as
well as FIG. 10, depict a remote spraying device 10 which comprise
rear and front housings, as described herein. However, as will be
appreciated upon referring to FIGS. 9-11, the front housing is
rotated 180.degree. about its longitudinal axis with respect to the
rear housing (as compared to their orientation in the first
embodiment, as best shown in FIG. 1). Further, the elongate tube 30
(shown only in FIG. 11) is sized so as to allow the front and rear
housings to be adjacent to one another. Despite the different
outward appearance, however, the mechanical operation of the first
and second embodiments is identical. As such, the operation and
functioning of the various components (in connection with FIGS.
3-8) will be described herein with respect to the first embodiment
only. By reference to FIG. 11, and by use of the indicia thereon,
however, one will be able to appreciate and understand the
operation of the second embodiment.
The means by which the aerosol can is actuated and its contents
dispensed will now be described in reference to FIG. 2, which shows
a left side sectional view of the moving components of the first
embodiment of the remote spraying device 10 according to the
invention. See also FIG. 11 which depicts a cross-sectional view of
the second embodiment of the present invention.
The front housing 40 includes a can holder designated generally by
reference numeral 50. Can holder 50 is comprised of a hollow
cylinder 52 fixed to the bottom of housing 40. Cylinder 52 is sized
to receive an aerosol can. Within cylinder 52 is an annular
retaining wall 54. That wall includes a central opening which
allows the top of the can, including the actuator-valve, to extend
therethrough. The annular retaining wall is sized so as to contact
a ridge portion 55 which extends from a typical aerosol can. Thus,
annular retaining wall 54 serves to properly position an aerosol
can within the cylinder 52.
The holder 50 further includes a wheel 56 which is rotatably
mounted thereto. When a can is inserted into the holder, it will
contact the wheel; the wheel turning and providing for smooth and
easy insertion of the can into the holder.
To actuate a properly-positioned aerosol can, an actuator rod 60 is
provided. The actuator rod 60 is reciprocable in a longitudinal
direction between a position wherein it displaces the
valve-actuator 62 angularly away from its normal position, so as to
cause the contents of the can to be discharged, and a position
wherein the valve-actuator 62 is not so displaced (as shown in FIG.
2). For the purposes of this description, the term longitudinal
movement will be used to designate movement along a longitudinal
axis of a particular component being described. The end of the
actuator rod 60 which contacts the actuator is advantageously bent
at about 90.degree. with respect to the longitudinal axis of the
rod. This provides for better contact between the actuator rod and
actuator, ensuring proper actuation of the valve upon use of the
handle.
To provide for manual control of the actuation of the valve
actuator by actuator rod 60, a triggering mechanism is used. The
triggering mechanism includes a trigger rod 70 which is
reciprocable longitudinally by movement of a trigger 80 located in
rear housing 20, the trigger 80 being fixed to the trigger rod 70.
The longitudinal movement of trigger rod 70 is translated into
longitudinal movement of actuator rod 60 by means of a bell crank
90. Bell crank 90 is pivotally mounted in the front housing by
means of a pivot pin 92. A further pivot pin 94 connects trigger
rod 70 and a first arm of the bell crank. A second arm of the bell
crank is connected to the actuator rod 60 by means of a further
pivot pin 96. Thus, longitudinal movement of trigger rod 70 causes
bell crank 90 to pivot about pivot pin 92, thus moving actuator rod
60 in a longitudinal direction. Bell crank stop 91, which is
located with respect to the bell crank 90 so as to prevent the
actuator rod from moving excessively in the longitudinal direction
and damaging the actuator and/or valve assembly, is also
provided.
To ensure that the contents of the spray can are only discharged
when desired, a biasing spring is used to maintain the actuating
mechanism in the non-discharging position. The biasing spring 100
is fixed to the trigger rod 70. That spring is further disposed
between this fixed point on the trigger rod and a retaining wall
102, that wall being disposed in the front housing and including a
central opening for receiving trigger rod 70. The spring 100 is of
the extension type and thus, in the sense of FIG. 2, imparts a
biasing force on the trigger rod 70 which tends to move it toward
the left. As can be seen from further reference to FIG. 2, a
biasing of the trigger rod 70 to the left causes the actuator rod
60 to move into the non-discharging position. A further function of
biasing spring 100 will be described below.
To provide for a manual control of the longitudinal motion of the
trigger rod, and thus for manual control of actuation of the
actuator rod of the device, trigger rod 70 is fixed to a trigger
80. Trigger 80 is housed within rear section 20 for relative
movement with respect thereto. As the operation of the trigger 80
and its interaction with various components with the rear section
20 provides some of the significant functional features of this
invention, the components housed within rear section 20, and their
interaction, will be more fully described in reference to FIGS.
3-8.
Turning to FIG. 3, the trigger 80 is seen to be mounted within rear
housing 20 for reciprocating horizontal movement. In FIG. 3, the
trigger 80 and trigger rod 70 are shown in solid lines in a
non-discharging position. Rightward movement of the trigger 80, in
the sense of FIG. 3 to the position shown in phantom, places
trigger 80 in a discharging position, i.e., a position which causes
material in the aerosol can to be discharged. It should be noted
that the positioning of the trigger in the non-discharging position
corresponds to the actuator rod being in the non-discharging
position, while positioning of the trigger 80 in the discharge
position corresponds with the actuator rod being placed in the
discharge position.
According to a significant aspect of the invention, the remote
spraying device is switchable between two modes. In a first mode,
trigger 80 is simply reciprocated between the discharging position
and the non-discharging position. Since the biasing spring 100,
shown in FIG. 2, biases the trigger rod and thus the trigger to the
non-discharging position, the contents of the aerosol can is only
discharged, in this mode, when the trigger 80 is being manually
held in the discharging position by the user. In a second mode,
this same type of conventional manual on-off control of the trigger
can be performed. Moreover, the second mode also provides a
hands-free continuous discharging operation by allowing a user to
lock the trigger 80 into a discharging position. This continuous
discharging position of the trigger 80 is shown in phantom in FIG.
4. It can be seen from that figure that the trigger 80 is displaced
both horizontally and vertically when it is moved into this
continuous discharging position.
To determine whether the remote spraying device will be in the
first mode (which does not provide for any locking) or the second
mode (which does provide for locking) a locker 120 is provided, as
seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Locker 120 is a generally cylindrical member
which rotatable about pivot point 122. Locker 120 extends between
the side walls of the rear housing 20. The generally cylindrical
locker 120 also includes a flat face 125. The orientation of this
flat face 125 determines whether the locker is in a non-locking
position, wherein only horizontal movement of the trigger 80 is
allowed, or in a locking position, wherein vertical movement of the
trigger, so that it can be disposed in the continuously-discharging
position, as well as horizontal movement providing for intermittent
discharging, is allowed. The two positions are shown in FIG. 5 and
FIGS. 6-8, respectively.
In FIG. 5, the locker 120 is in the non-locking ("OFF") position,
with the flat face 125 extending vertically. In that position,
vertical movement of the trigger from the discharging position is
prevented by the contact of the bend 71 of the trigger rod and the
locker 120, as shown in phantom in FIG. 3. In FIGS. 6-8, however,
the locker 120 is rotated to a position where the flat face 125 is
horizontal. As a result, the locker 120 is not contacting bend 71
in the trigger rod 70, and vertical movement of the trigger 80 to
the position shown in phantom in FIG. 4 is possible.
To maintain the trigger 80 in the raised position of FIG. 7 without
the need to hold the trigger in that position, a locking land 130
is disposed within the rear housing. With the locking land
performing its function of maintaining the trigger in this raised
position, the trigger is maintained in a discharging position. As a
result, continuous discharge of the contents of the aerosol can is
achieved without the need for the user to hold trigger 80 in a
discharging position.
The land 130 can be seen most clearly in FIG. 7, which shows the
trigger in the raised, continuously discharging position. In a
spraying device formed of mirror-image plastic moldings, each
molding includes a projection which, when assembled, makes up the
locking land. The locking land 130 includes a central gap for
allowing passage of the trigger rod 70 when the trigger is in the
non-discharging position, as shown, e.g., in FIG. 8. Locking land
130 is designed to frictionally receive a front surface 140 of the
trigger when the trigger is moved vertically from the discharging
position, as in FIG. 7. The frictional engagement between locking
land 130 and front surface 140 of the trigger is enhanced by the
biasing spring 100, that spring being shown in FIG. 1. As
previously mentioned, the biasing spring 100 bias trigger rod 70 in
the leftward sense of the figures. Accordingly, with the trigger 80
in the raised position of FIG. 7, front surface 140 is biased
against land 130 by this biasing spring. This biasing, coupled with
the frictional engagement between surface 140 and locking land 130
is sufficient to hold the trigger in this raised, continuously
discharging position.
The trigger 80 can be returned from this raised, locked position to
its normal position within rear housing 20 by the user manually
overcoming the friction engagement of locking land 130 and front
surface 140, the frictional engagement being enhanced by the effect
of biasing spring 100. A rearward pull on the trigger disengages
front surface 140 and locking land 130, allowing the trigger 80 to
be pulled downward into its normal orientation with rear housing
20, and thus to be released to its non-discharging position.
To provide for selective positioning of the locker 120, and thus to
provide for switching of the remote spraying device between the two
modes, a lock switch is provided. The lock switch, designated by
reference numeral 26 in FIG. 1, and represented in the operational
diagrams in FIGS. 5-8, is fixed to the locker 120, and is rotatable
about the same axis 122. In this manner, rotation of the lock
switch causes a complemental rotation of the locker. The outer
surface of housing 20 may include a visual indicator giving an
indication of whether the locker is in the non-locking or locking
position.
In order to fully explain the operation of the novel trigger
mechanism according to the invention, brief reference will be made
to FIGS. 5-8. In FIG. 5, the lock switch 26 is seen to be in the
"OFF" position, meaning that the locker 120 is in the non-locking
position, which in this case means that flat face 125 is disposed
vertically. With the locker 120 in the position of FIG. 5,
operation of the remote spraying device in the first mode is
provided. As indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5, trigger 80 is
horizontally reciprocal between a non-discharging and a discharging
position. As previously described, contact of the bend 71 of the
trigger rod 70 with the locker 120 prevents vertical movement of
the trigger 80 in this mode.
In FIGS. 6-8, the lock switch has been moved to the "ON" position,
meaning that the locker 120 has been moved to its locking position,
thereby allowing operation of the remote spraying device in its
second mode. In this mode, as represented in FIG. 6, reciprocal
horizontal movement of the trigger is possible. This is the same
movement as can be performed by the spraying device when it is in
the first mode. This mode, however, offers the further advantage of
continuous discharge without a corresponding continuous squeezing
of the trigger by the user. This is because vertical movement of
the trigger into the continuous discharging position, as shown in
FIG. 7, is allowed to occur.
The structure and operation of one embodiment of a remote spraying
device, including the advantageous feature of providing a
hands-free continuous discharging function, has thus been
described. The molded plastic pieces making up the front sections
and rear sections are easily fabricated and assembled, and a
minimum number of moving parts makes production and assembly of the
remote spraying device simple and cost-effective. The lockable
trigger device, in addition to having the advantageous feature of
hands-free, discharge of the contents of an aerosol can, is also
simple to manipulate into and out of this position, as well as
being adapted for normal on and off spraying operation.
While this invention has been described with an emphasis upon a
preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those of ordinary skill
in the art that variations of the preferred methods may be used and
that it is intended that the invention may be practiced otherwise
than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention
includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope
of the invention as defined by the following claims.
* * * * *